Laboratory testing of blood samples from patients has traditionally been based on a physical, paper laboratory test request that a patient receives from a doctor. That physical document is usually then taken by the patient to a technician or administrator at a laboratory facility or a patient service center. Typically, after waiting for their turn at that facility or center, a patient is then attended to by a phlebotomist who extracts blood from the patient by way of venipunture. Before venipunture, the phlebotomist selects the correct number and type of vacuum blood collection tubes for the desired number and/or types of tests set forth in the laboratory test request. The phlebotomist ensures that blood from the venipunture fills the correct number and types of tubes. Unless the laboratory tests were ordered STAT or other expedited basis, the patient will wait days or weeks before being notified of the results of the laboratory test. Usually, the notification comes from the doctor or someone in the doctor's office, not from the laboratory that conducted the test.
This process of traditional testing protocol and traditional testing infrastructure, creates a legacy system that can be unnecessarily slow and burdened by various limitations.